In many textile processes, it is typically necessary for a quantity of textile material such as yarn, thread, or the like (hereinafter collectively referred to as "yarn") to be processed automatically on bobbins or pin trucks. Many times, the yarn supply will not be completely exhausted thereby leaving a quantity of yarn as residue on the core element. Thus, there has been a need for devices which remove such residual yarn from the core element so that the residual yarn can be recycled and reprocessed so as to prevent waste.
Devices which broadly accomplish this function are generally known in this art as evidenced by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,078,282 to van Daalen; 3,928,899 to Maiworm; 3,137,913 to Hayes, Sr.; 3,108,354 to Hayes, Sr.; 3,092,889 to Hayes, Sr.; 2,613,425 to Whitaker; 2,303,048 to Hudson; and 1,109,949 to Walsh.
Maiworm '899 cuts yarn residue from bobbins by means of a bearing which receives the cones of the bobbins and guides them to a movable cutter carriage carrying vertical and horizontal knives.
Vandaalen '282, for example, describes an apparatus for removing yarn residue from a core element or bobbin which comprises a cutting element supported by a movable support, together with a sensing device in the form of an elongated "finger" which slides longitudinally over the surface of the bobbin to detect and control the angle of a cutting edge. The surface of the sensing device follows the irregularities of the bobbin, thereby responsively causing the end of the arm and knife to rise. Thus, as the sensor follows the contours of the bobbin, it lifts the yarn residue such that it may be cut without damage to the bobbin itself.
Hayes, Sr. '913 describes a bobbin stripper having a feed chute loading to an indexed bobbin carrier. A guide or saddle move along the bobbin together with a cutter so as to prevent the cutter from contacting and damaging the bobbin.
Hayes, Sr. '354 describes a bobbin stripper wherein a rotatably mounted table supports plural bobbin carriers which are adapted to receive bobbins from a feed chute and to advance the bobbins past a cutting or stripping station where the yarn is severed from the bobbins. An ejection device automatically ejects the stripped bobbins from the bobbin carrier subsequent to the cutting operation.
Hayes, Sr. '889 describes a bobbin stripping system wherein bobbins having residual yarn therein are gravitatingly fed to a table rotatable about a horizontal axis. The bobbins are individually and sequentially accepted by the table, advanced through a cutting station whereby the residual yarn is stripped from the bobbin and, thereafter gravitatingly discharged to a discharge chute.
Walsh '949 describes the broad concept of a step-by-step turret arrangement to position a series of bobbins such that a knife may be used to remove the residue yarn. In particular, the knife cuts through the yarn on one bobbin while a brush simultaneously strips the cut yarn from a preceding bobbin. Each bobbin must be carefully pre-positioned such that a knife slot is brought into absolutely correct position for the succeeding cutting operation.
Hudson '048 utilizes gravity to feed bobbins to a conveyer which includes plural saddles spaced therealong to accept the bobbins. The conveyor thus linearly transports the bobbins past a cutting element and, upon the bobbins reaching the end of the conveyor travel, gravitatingly fall from the saddle.
Whitaker '425 discloses relative axial movement between the bobbin and a rotary knife which reciprocates in synchronism with a rotating magazine to force the bobbin in the stripping and unloading position into a hollow member such as a conduit. The Whitaker apparatus therefore requires a complex arrangement of interdependent elements which are necessary to pre-position the bobbin, remove the stripped thread, and return the cutting apparatus to its original position.